What will happen if I don't wear my retainer for a week?

Question

Left for holiday on Saturday (Two days ago) and I left my retainer in my bathroom. I've had my braces off for around 4 months and I've been wearing it religiously every night since. Will my teeth be okay for a week? Will my retainer fit when I get back? My teeth were REALLY bad before my brace, that's all. Don't want them going back.

David Sherman, DDS · Answer

Typically patients are instructed to wear their retainers "regularly" for the first six months following active orthodontic treatment (braces/Invisalign/etc.) because this tends to be the period of time when the teeth are least stable in their new positions.  Each practitioner is different in terms of what is considered "regular".

In our practice, we ask our patients to wear their retainers 12 hours/day for the first six months.  When they return at their six month check-in, if they report that their retainers fit well and comfortably, we then transition them to wearing their retainers only while they sleep.

Having said that, there is individual variability in all patient's response to treatment/retainers.  I would hope that following 5-7 days without the retainers in, they would still fit.  You can expect the retainers to be tight when you first replace them.  Hopefully, you can endure a few days of discomfort as the retainers recapture any shifting that may have occurred during the week.

If you cannot get the retainers back in, I would make an appointment to see your dentist/orthodontist to see if they can adjust the retainers so they fit properly.

What will happen if I don't wear my retainer for a week?

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What will happen if I don't wear my retainer for a week?

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Everything you need to know about Braces

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.